Gas-operated automatic firearm.



J. C. STURGEON.

GASOPERATED AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

APPLICAT ION FILED FEB. 5, l9l7.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. C. STURGEON.

GAS OPERATED AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-5.1917.

Patented Jan. 7,1919.

3 SHEETSQSHEET 2 M mw wfiu um m ww W ma m LC. STURGEON.

GAS OPERATED AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

APPLICATION HL'ED FEB.5.-l917- Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

JOHN C. STURGEON, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-OPERATED AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 7, 1919.

Application filed February 5, 1917. Serial No. 146,669.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jonn G. STURGEON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Operated Automatic Firearms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to fire-arms, and particularly to gas-operated automatic firearms wherein a portion of the gases of each discharge operate to unlock, move back the breech-bolt mechanism, operate the cartridge feeding mechanism and compress a springer springs which operate to close and lock the breech-bolt and actuate the firingp One object of this invention is to construct and aseinble the operative mechanism so that all parts of it are easily accessible to the operator, and can, if necessary, be quickly removed from and replaced in the frame of the arm, through the rear end thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vertically moving breech-bolt locking mechanism engaged and actuated by a supplcn-iental piston communicating with and operating the bolt-locking mechanism,

which piston is first moved back by the gases to unlock the bolt and compress a retracting sprlng operating thereon and then moves 1 on in unison with the breech-bolt and locking mechanism, until the mechanism completes its rearward movement, and then when the bolt. and its locking mechanism has completed its reverse movement, the supplc mental piston is moved forward by the spring so as to operate the locking-lug to cffectually lock the bolt in firing position.

Another featilre of this invention consists of cartridge-feeding mechanism which positively feeds cartridges to the arm, and a cartridge supply device, preferably rotatable, withmcans thereon for removably securing cartridges to its periphery, which device can be quickly put in place and deliver the cartridges thereon tothe feeding mechanism, and which can be quickly removed when exhausted and replaced by a full cartridge supply device.

Another feature of this invention consists in the cartridge feeding mechanism, the mechanism for operating the same, and the mechanism for actuating the cartridge supply device intermittently, to supply cartridges to the feeding device.

Another object of this invention is to provide barrel-cooling mechanism consisting substantially of thin corrugated strips of metal such as copper or aluminum secured longitudinally to the barrel with a shell secured around the same, and conical disks secui'ed to the outer end of the barrel within said shell, whereby each discharge of the arm operates to' produce a strong current of' air through the shell over the corrugated strips on the barrel, and thereby cool the same.

Another object of this invention consists substantially in the structure of parts, their cooperation and COIIllfuiniiOIl in the arm as hereinafter described.

These and other features of this invention are hereinafter fullv set forth and described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1. is a side view in elevation, of the frame of the arm the rear portion of the barrel. a portion of thc hinged butt, and a side view in elevation of the rear sight of the arm.

Fig 1. shows a top or plan view in elevation. of the rear sight of the arm.

Fig. 1". shows a transverse section of the barrel and cooling mechanism therefor, on the line A in Fig. 1. looking in the direction of the arrow. I I

Fig. 2. shows the muzzleportion of the barrel of the arm. partially in elevation and partially in section.

Fig. 2, shows a front end view of the muzzle end of the arm.

Fig. 3. shows a longitudinal verti al section. partially in elevation, showing the nicclianisn'i of the arm in the frame, and its position when ready to'fire.

Fig. 4, is a like longitudinal vertical section. partially in elevation, showing the mechanism of the arm in its position when re-loading.

of the frame and rear end of the barrel onthe plane of the bore of the barrel, with a section of the cartridge supply clip showing a cartridge in position to enter the barrel, and an empty shell being ejected thereby, with some of the parts in elevation.

f Fig. 16, is a. transverse section of the same on the line E, in Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow.

, Fig. 7, is a like transverse section on the line F in Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 8, is a rear end view of the frame when the butt is turned down, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9, is a transverse section of the frame on the line B in Fig. 4, looking in the directionof the arrow.

Fig. 10, is a transverse section on the line C in Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 11, is a horizontal section showing a detail of the cartridge carrying mechanism, and the mechanism for intermittently rotating the cartridge supply disk.

Fig. 12, is a transverse section on the line I) in Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow, showing an end view of the cartridge carrying mechanism, and of the side plate on the right hand side of the frame, opened.

In these drawings 1 indicates the framev of the arm, 2 the'shoulder butt thereof pivoted at the lower end of the frame on the pintle 2, and secured to the end of the frame at the upper part thereof by the transverse pin 1", whereby, by the removal of the pin 1, the butt may be turned down as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

To the front end of the frame 1, the barrel 3 is secured by means of an interrupted screw thread 3 and a screw stud 3 as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and 4 indicates the shell of the barrel cooling mechanism secured thereto in any convenient manner.-

The sides of the frame 1 are closed by side plates 5 and 5, shown in Figs. 1 and The side plate on the right hand side of" the plate being hinged thereto by hinges 6 at the lower edge thereof, and secured at its upper edge by rotating hooks 7 as clearly shown in Fig. 1; while theside plate 5 is preferably permanently secured to the left side of the frame.

l llvtending downwardly from the rear end of the frame there is a hand grip 8 provided with a trigger guard 9 inelosing trigger 10, the construction and operation of which is hereinafter more fully described.

, Slidabiy mounted in the rear end of the frame there. is a part 11. preferably secured therein by means of a transverse key 12. passing through the rear end bf the frame. The lower portion of this part 11 supports the main spring 13, while upon the upper portion of this part 11 are mounted the sears 14 and 15; the trigger 10' engaging the. arm of the sear 15 as indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 4. Behind the trigger 10 there is a spiral retracting spring 16 which operates to retain the trigger in its normal forward position, and behind the sears 14 and 15, are spiral springs 17 and 18 operating respectively upon the sears 14 and 15 as clearlyshown in Figs. 8, 4 and 5; the sears 14 and 15 being mounted upon and supported by a pintle 19, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, passing through the front end of the upper part of themovable portion 11, whereby, on removal of the key 12, the section 11 with the sear mechanism thereon, and the spring 13, can be speedily removed through the rear end of the frame and re-placed therein when desired.

Mounted in the upper part of the frame, in line with the bore of the barrel 3 is a breech-bolt 20. This breech bolt passes through the sides 2122 of the locking-lug frame, and is secured therein by means of a collar 23 thereon, shown in Fig. 3, which collar enters a recess in the portion 21 of the locking-lug frame. The bolt passes on through the frame 22 where it is secured by means of an extension 24, screw-threaded thereto, which completes the rear portion of the breech -bolt; the rear end of this eXten-- sion being provided with an inward shoulder 25 against which the rear end of the firing-pin spring 26 abuts, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The firingpin 27 passes through the breech-bolt in the usual manner, and has on the rear end'thereof a block 28 provided with the usual sear notch 29, and also provided with a forward extension 30, on the lower part thereof, which, when the firingpin is in its forward position, as shown in Fig. 4, passes under the rear portion of the bolt and retains the-sears 14l5 out of contact therewith.

Mounted so as to slide vertically on the bolt, between the sides 21 and 22, of the looking frame, there is a locking lug 31 proxided with projections 32 extending into corresponding recesses 33 in the sides and top of the frame when in its upper-most position; but when moved downward to unlock the bolt, the lugs 32 travel backward in unison with the locking-lug frame, in slots 34, in the inner face of the frame.

For operating this loekinglug up and down, there is a bell crank lever 35-36 pivoted at its angle in ears '31. on tire lower part of the locking-lug 31. The arm 36 of this bell crank lever is pivoted in the side 22 oi the locking-lug frame. while the arm Ell) thereof extends downwardly and is pro-- vided with a slot embracing the central se tion of a longitudimilly moving part 38 mounted in the lower part 3!) of the locking adjacent to the muzzle end thereof, and in the lower part of the passage 43, there is a thumb-screw 43*, whereby the volume of gas passing through the passage can beadjusted and controlled. Extending from the front {Lend of the part 38, through the tube 40, there is a rod 4st provided with a piston 45 located some distance from the end of the tube 40 when in its normal position relative to the end of said tube, as clearly shown in 0 F ig. 3; and when the gases first enter the front end of the cylinder 41 from the bore of the barrel, they operate to move the-piston45 against the front end of the tube 40; this operates to move the part 38 rearwardly,

compressing the spring 46 carried by the rear portion 39 of the locking frame, and

' at the same time it carries the lower arm 35 of the bell-crank lever 35-36 rearwardly with it, which operates to move the locking 0 lug 31 downward in the locking-lug frame so as to disengage it from the slots 33 in the frame; the further action of the gas against the piston 45 then operates to move the looking frame 2122, and the parts carried 5 thereby, together with the breech-bolt 20, rearwardly, so as to compress the spring 13 backwardly into the lower portion 11 of the I part 11 at the rear of the frame. This operates to withdraw the bolt and the spent 0 shell from the barrel back to a point where the shell is ejected through an opening 1*, in the right hand side of the frame. as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, ready to receive a fresh cartridge to be forced into the bar- 5 rel, by thebolt as the parts re again nmved forward by the action of the spring 1 when this forward traverse is completed the spring 46 acting upon the bell crank-lever 3536, moves the arm thereof forward 0 so as to raise the locking-lug 31 into engagernentwvith the slots of the frame; this movement of the locking-lug 31 just as it is being completed, operates to raise a vertically sliding wedge 47 mounted in the part 21 of the locking-frame, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4. and 10, which movement of the wedge 47 engages the end of an arm or rod l8, which extends rearwardly to and is connected with the arm 14, of the sear 14, and operates to disengage the sear 14 from the sear-notch 29 on the firing-pin 27, which allows the firingpin to move forward and explode the cartridge.

It is manifest that if the trigger is held 55 backward so as to retain the sear out of wedge 47 is also moved downward so that the end of the rod 48 will pass over it, as illustrated in Fig. 4; the rod being retained in position by means of a guide $8 on the side ofthe part 22 of the locking frame.

For feeding cartridges to the firing-bolt, I provide an arm 49 which is mounted upon a sleeve 50, Whichin turn is mounted upon the tube the sleeve 50 being provided with a cam slot 51 in which a stud 52, secured in the tube 40 operates to oscillate the sleeve 50 as the tube 40 moves forward and backward therethrough; the sleeve 50 being prevented from longitudinal movement by an arm 53 engaging a slot 5-1 in the end of Said sleeve, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 11 and 12.

On the sleeve 50 there is a lug 55 which, when the sleeve 50 is rotated by the forward movement of the tube 40, by engaging'the cartridge carrier 19 operates to move the cartridge carrier downward into the position shown in Fig. 12, ready to receive a fresh cartridge; this movement occurring substantiallvmid-way of the forward traverse of the bolt 20. Meanwhile, as the forward traverse to the tube 40 and the bolt 20 is being completed, an arm 56, preferably removably secured to the tube 40 by means of a laterally projecting lug 56 thereon, and having a lateral stud 57 thereon, is moved forward by the traverse of the tube 40 until the stud 57 engages the arm 59 of the oscillating lever 58-59, which causes the arm 58 of said lever to engage a stud 60 on the end of the arm which carries a dog 61 operating on ratchet teeth 62, on av rotatable cartridge supply device 63 -(see Figs. 3. 4, 7 and 11) the mechanism. whereof is hereinafter more fully described, and operates to rotate said cartridge supply device forward' one notch and thereby delivers a fresh cartridge upon the end 49 of the cartridge carrier 49, this action of the parts being repeated at each reciprocal movement of the bolt 20. p

For moving the cartridge carrier 49 to carry. the cartridge in front of the bolt, as the bolt completes its rearward traverse, I preferably provide, in the cartridge carrier 49, a spiral spring 64, the outer end of this spring 64 being engaged by an arm 65 on the sleeve 50. so that duringthe rearward traverse of the bolt, the cartridge carrier 49 is moved upward carrying the cartridge 1 herewith; and when the bolt is about mi -way of its backward traverse, the cartridge is being held by the carrier 49 against the side of the bolt, and the spring 64 is compressed. under more or less tension, so that whehthe bolt passes back to its r'earmost point of traverse, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the expansion of the spring 64 operates to force the. cartridge carrier 49 carrying the cartridge therewith, against the spent shell, so

as to push\the spent shell outward through the slot 1 in the arm, and leave the fresh cartridge in front of the end of the bolt the front end of the arm 68 there is an inwardly projecting lug 7 O which operates in the slot 67 and extends inwardly from the plate far enough to engage the lug 71, shown in dotted lines at the front end of .the slot, and in full lines at the rear end of the slot, in Fig. 5. This lug extends outwardly from the part 38, mounted in the lower part 39 of the locking frame 21 and 22, and operates, when the knob 69 is grasped and pulled backward along the side of the frame, to first operate-the unlocking apparatus, and then move the entire locking frame and contents back to the position shown in Fig. t; the mechanism being moved forward by the spring 13, carries the knob 59 and arm 68 back to their normal position as shown in Figs. '1 and 5, leaving the arm cooked and ready to fir'e; then, by pulling back the trigger 10, the arm is fired and will automatically operate, so long as the supply of cartridges is fed thereto.

For supporting the cartridge supply mechanism, I secure tothe left side of the frame, at the front end of the cartridge supply slot 72, a laterally projecting arm 73. (See Fig, I The inner face of this arm is provided with a slot in which an arm 75 is pivoted, having on the end thereof the stud (30, which passes under and is engaged by the arm 59 of the oscillating lever 5859. Under the" arm 75 there is a spring 75, which operates to raise the arm 75. In this arm 75 is mounted a sliding part 7 (l, actuated by a. spring 7 6, upon the outer end of which part there is a dog 61 adapted to engage ratchet teeth (32 in a rotatable cartridge supply device (33 androtate it.

At the rear end of the cartridge inlet slot 72 I provide another arm '74 extending laterally from the left side of the frame. This arm is pivoted on a pintle 77 and is provided with a spring 78 whereby it may be swung backward as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5.

On the inner faces of the outer ends of the arm 7374 are lugs. or bosses 79-80 adapted to enter central openings 81 in the disks -828,3 forming the ends of the. .removable cartridge supply device, whereby the cartridge supply device, when in place between the arm 7374 will rotate freely uponthe inwardly projecting lugs or bosses 79 80. Between the peripheries of these disks 82 I securethe peripheral shell 84 of this cartridge supply device. This peripheral shell is provided at its forward end with raised ratchet teeth 62 stamped into the metal so as to project outwardly therefrom, as illustrated in Fig. 7; and in the rear half of this shell 8% I stamp out therefrom small clips 858(i-87 which are so bent outwardly as to clasp and firmly hold car tridges, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The ends of this cartridge holder 8283, and the peripheral part thereof 84, I make of thin sheet metal, and connect the peripheral shell with the ends thereof by means of small lugs St? on the edges of theshell,

which pass through openings in the edges of the ends 8283 thereof. (See Fig. 5).

As hereinbefore described, this cartridge holder, when in place.- is adapted to be intermittently rotated forwardv one tooth at each forward andbackward movement of the bolt 20. and is prevented from backward movement by a spring-dog 61* mounted in the frame, which engages the teeth 62 as shown in Fig. 7, thereof will supply a cartridge to the cartridge carrier 49, as illustrated in Fig. 6, until the entire number of cartridges occupying the periphery of the cartridge carrier has been exhausted; then, by swinging back the arm 74, a ncwlv filled cartridge supply device can be placed therein.

For preventing the excessive-heating of so that each movement the barrel 3, I secure longitudinal corrugated radial strips 88 of thin copper or aluminum. preferably secured to the barrel by being inserted in dove-tailed grooves 89 .in the periphery thereof. as illustrated in Fig. 1", and to the end of the barrel I secure a collar 90 from which arms 91 extend forwardly: and upon these arms 91 I secure a series of conical deflecting disks 92, as illustrated in Fig. .2, which conical disks operate. as the gases leave the muzzle of the barrel. to deflect-a portion thereof outward, toward the'inside of the shell 4. which ineloses the radial strips 88. and the disks 92, whereby the outward blast of the gases passing from the barrel, operates to produce a strong draft of air over the corrugated radial strips 88, carrying therewith a large per cent. of the heat generated in the barrel 3.

The arrangement and operation of the mechanism of this arm has been hereinbcfore so fully described that it is believed that further description of the operation thereof is unnecessary.

I have thus shown and described my improved automatic fire-arm so as to enable others skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, to construct and utilize the same. I do not, however, confine ,myself to the exact construction, form and ar-.

rangement of the parts thereof, as many of these can be modified and varied Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Therefore what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is .1. In a gun, a frame, a barrel secured thereto, a cylinder under the barrel communicating therewith, a reciprocatingloreech-bolt, a locking-lug frame secured thereto, a reciprocating locking-lug mounted therein adapted to engage lugs on the gunframe, means in said locking-lug frame for moving the locking lug, a rod communicating therewith having a piston within said cylinder, and a spring in said locking-lug frame operating in opposition to said piston.

In a gun, a frame, a barrel secured thereto, a cylinder under the barrel communicating therewith. a reciprocating breech-bolt, a firing-pin mounted therein, a locking-lug frame secured thereto, a reciprocating locking-lug therein adapted to engage and be disengaged from lugs on the gurrframe. a lever engaging and operating said locking-lug, a rod connected to said lever and apiston in said cylinder operating said rod in one direction, and a spring in said locking mechanisn'i operating to move said rod and lever in the opposite direction.

In a gun, a frame, a barrel secured thereto, a cylinder under the barrel comn'iunicating with the bore thereof, a breechbolt, a locking-lug frame secured to said bolt, a vertically movable locking-lug therein adapted to engage the gun frame, a bell-crank lever pivoted in said locking-lug frame and engaging said locking-lug, a sliding member in said locking-lug frame, a spring in said frame engaging said sliding member, a rod extending from the front of said sliding member into said cylinder, and a piston on the end of said rod within said cylinder.

4. In a gun, a frame, a barrel secured thereto, a non-rotatable reciprocating l'iriwch-bolt mounted in said frame, an extractor hook carried thereby, a spring-actuated firin -pin mounted in the breech-bolt, a locking lug-frail1e removably secured to the breech-bolt, a locking-lug operating within the lockingdug frame, a gas-operated means for moving the locking-lug frame and hrcech-bolt rearwardly. and a spiral retractmg spring engaging the rear of the lockinglug frame to. move it and the breech-bolt forwardly.

5. In a gun, a frame, a barrel secured thereto, a non-rotatablebreech-bolt reciprocable therein, an extractor on the breechbolt, a locking-lug frame removably secured to the breech-bolt, gas-operated means operating on the locking-lug frame to move it and the breech-bolt rearwardly, a spiral re-- engage it With and disengage it from the gun-frame.

6. In a gun, .a frame, a reciprocating breech-bolt mounted therein, a locking-lug frame secured to said breech-bolt, a spring behind the rear end of said frame to move it forward, a tubular rod secured to the opposite end'of said frame and extending forward under the barrel, a sleeve mounted on said tubular rod, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said sleeve on said tube, a cam-slot in said sleeve, a stud on said tubular rod operating in the cam-slot in said sleeve as said rod reciprocates torotate the sleeve on said rod, a cartridge carrying arm mounted and rotating on said sleeve, a. lugon said sleeve adapted to engage said arm and move itin' one direction, and a spring mounted in the cartridge carrying arm and a' lug on said sleeve engaging said spring to move said arm in the opposite direction.

7. In a gun,'a frame, a barrel secured therein, a cylinder under the barrel, a breech-bolt, a locking-lug frame secured to said bolt, a spring at the rear thereof, a tubular rod extending from the locking-lug frame into said cylinder, a sleeve mounted on said tube, means for preventing the longitudinal movement of said sleeve, an oscillating cartridge vcarrying,arm removably mounted on and adapted to rotate on said sleeve, :1 cam-slot in said sleeve, a stud in said tube operating in said cam-slot to rotate the sleeve on said tube, a lug on said sleeve adapted to engage said arm and move it in one direction, a spring mounted in said arm and a lug on said sleeve engaging said spring to move said arm in the opposite direction.

8. In a gun, a frame having a cartridge receiving ope ing therein, a cartridge carrying arm in said opening. means intermittently operating the same, laterally projecting arms on said frame, .a cylindrical cartridge supply device removably mounted between said arms, means for removably I operating it.

10. In a gun, a frame having a cartridge receiving openlng therem, a laterally proectmg arm. on the frame at the front end therein adapted to be engaged and intermittently operated by reciprocating mechanism in the frame, and an arm projecting laterally from the rear end of said cartridge receiving opening pivotally connected with the frame, and a spring acting thereon to maintain it in its normal position.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature.

JOHN C. STURGEON.

of said opening, a dog mechanism mounted 

